Description
Our flavor-packed Grilled Jalapeño Popper Chicken recipe is a delicious dinner option that you are going to be making again and again!
Ingredients
Scale
- 4oz cream cheese, room temperature (regular or dairy-free)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (regular or dairy-free)
- 2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 whole jalapeños, halved with seeds & membranes removed
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 12 bacon slices (do not use thick-cut bacon)
Instructions
- Cheese Mixture: Put the 4oz cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, 2 tablespoons chopped green onions, 3/4 teaspoon onion powder, 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer to fully combine.
- Butterfly Chicken: Use a sharp knife to cut down the middle of each chicken breast, lengthwise. Cut across the breast, but do NOT cut all the way through. There should now be a top and bottom, with one side of the breast still in tact.
- Jalapeño Popper: Fill one half of a jalapeño with some of the cheese mixture (a heaping amount) and then place that in the center of 1 butterflied chicken breast and fold the other side over top of it (so the stuffed jalapeno should be in a little pocket). Continue this process with the other jalapeño halves and chicken breasts.
- Wrap in Bacon: Now use 3 slices of bacon to tightly wrap each stuffed chicken breast. Ensure that there isn’t any spots where the filling will be able to run out – even if you have to use an extra piece of bacon.
- Grill Chicken: Preheat an outdoor grill to a medium-high heat (375-450 degrees F). Place the wrapped chicken breasts directly on the clean grill grates and cook for 18-22 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (use a meat thermometer). Flip the chicken every 5-7 minutes while cooking. (Note: if you wrap the chicken well and the jalapeno popper filling doesn’t ooze out – you shouldn’t have too many flare-ups – but keep a water bottle handy just in case).
- Rest + Serve: Carefully remove from the grill, let meat rest for 5 minutes, and serve!
Notes
- Dairy Free: simply use dairy-free cheese and cream cheese alternatives.
- Storage: leftover chicken can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Jalapeno Popper Chicken Breast
- Calories: 568
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 806.8 mg
- Fat: 49.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.1 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 23.1 g
- Cholesterol: 121.1 mg